Illumination diminishing device



3 5 u H 2 "7 5 ems EEARQH m Jan. 28, 1964 D. CLOSE 3,119,566

ILLUMINATION DIMINISHING DEVICE K 5": .M Filed June 27, 1960 j K I? r 3 K :3

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INVENTOR. DONALD CLOSE BY zzapgv bfiw ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,119,566 ILLUMINATION DIMINISHING DEVICE Donald Close, 441 Park Ave., Kent, Ohio Filed June 27, 1960, Ser. No. 38,902 2 Claims (Cl. 240-4633) The present invention relates to a dimming light. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved device for gradually diminishing the illumination in an artifically lighted room. Specifically, the present invention relates to an improved device whereby the illumination in a room may be gradually diminished over a preselected period of time, until the artifical illumination is completely extinguished.

Young children are notoriously afraid when suddenly engulfed in darkness. Because of this, parents are often required to leave a light burning in the childs room until he falls asleep. This placebo can be afforded and, at the same time, sleep can be psychologically induced by a gradual reduction of illuminationsimu'lating twilight.

Several known devices have been constructed in an attempt to simulate the setting sun and thereby provide gradual diminution of the illumination level within an aitifically lighted room. These known devices have accomplished their purpose by various modifications of a basic electrical circuitry. That is, the dimming of the illumination intensity from all these devices is generally ascribable to a controlled variation of the electrical current to a light source by means of a variable resistance in circuit therewith. Such constructions have necessitated the use of expensive rheostats, or substitutes therefor, and complicated switching, wiring, timing and rheostat arm driving means.

It is, therefore, the principal object of the present invention to provide an improved device, in the nature of a light, from which the lumen output is gradually mechanically diminished and then extinguished during a predetermined period of time.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved illumination diminishing device which can also be used as a source of constant illumination.

It is a still further object to provide an illumination diminishing device of simplified construction which will be inexpensive to manufacture.

These and other objects which will become apparent to the reader of the following specification are accomplished by maens hereinafter described and claimed.

One preferred embodiment is shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings and hereinafter described in detail without attempting to show all of the various forms and modifications in which the invention might be embodied; the invention being measured by the appended claims and not by the details of this specification.

Referring to the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view, partially cut away, of an illumination diminishing device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 22 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an elevation taken substantially on line 33 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a rotatable canopy as used in the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

In general, an illumination diminishing device according to the present invention comprises a constant light source positioned Within a non-reflecting container having at least one side adapted to permit mechanical or shutter controlled emanation of light.

3,119,566 Patented Jan. 28, 1964 Referring now to FIGS.l-3, the illumination diminishing device, designated generally by the numeral .10, has a preferably rectangular enclosure 11 constructed from an opaque material with a transparent, or translucent, side 12. The enclosure 11 may be adapted to rest on a table, as by resilient feet 13, or may be adapted to serve as a wall or ceiling fixture, by suitable means (not shown). As shown, the transulcent side 12 may be attached to a side of enclosure 11 by an edge plate 14. A light socket 15 and light bulb 16 are secured to the interior of enclosure 11, as by nuts and bolts -18.

A conventional combination timer and switch 19 may be secured within enclosure 11, as by lugs 20 engaging threaded stems .21 extending inwardly from a dial plate 22 on the outside of enclosure 11. The timer switch 19 is preferably provided with a through-arbor 23'. One end of arbor 23 extends to the outside of enclosure 11 and mounts a control knob 24. The other end of arbor 23 is operatively connected to a rotatable type shutter or canopy 25. Canopy 25, as best seen in FIG. 4, is preferably a hollow, opaque cylinder which has been truncated on a plane parallel to and outwardly of the longitudinal axis. A semi-circular aperture 27 is provided in an end 28 so that the canopy 25 may rotatably encompass bulb 16 adjacent socket 15. Canopy 25 is preferably constructed of a lightweight material to permit cantilever support thereof by attaching "arbor 23 to the opposite end 29 without hindering the operation of the timing mechanism.

The timer in timer switch 19 may be spring, thenmo, or electrically operated and may incorporate a hold feature. That is, as the control knob 24 is turned from the 01f position to the hold position, indicated on dial plate 22, the arbor 23 rotates canopy 25 through Because of the hold feature, the canopy 25 is retained in this position, permitting unrestricted radiation of light through side 12. To begin the timed diminution of illumination issuing from device 10, the knob 24 is turned to indicate the preselected time on dial plate 22. If, for example, the control knob 24 is set at 60 minutes, 24a, the canopy is positioned at 25a (as in FIG. 2). Over a period of 60 minutes the canopy 25 gradually moves from 25a through intermediate positions, represented by 25b, to a position 25c completely between light 16 and translucent wall 12. At this time, the switch portion of timer-switch 19, connected in series on power lines 30 and 31 with socket 15, has been rotated to the o position, with the knob at 240, to open the circuit and extinguish the bulb 16.

In order to assure a constant rate to the gradual diminution of the illumination commensurate with the rotation of canopy 25 and further to assure that only a minute quantity of light emanates from the device 10 immediately prior to extinguishment of light 16, the interior 32 of the enclosure 11 and the exterior surface 33 of canopy 25 are preferably non-reflective.

It will be noted that the illumination from device 10 may be diminished by a variety of shutter configurations which will controllably position to restrict the illumination emanating from the light source 16 through side 12. Examples of such configurations can be descriptively characterized as being adaptations of Venetian blinds, shades or doors. In view of the present disclosure such shutter configurations can be adapted according to the invention for timed closure by one skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

1. In an illumination diminishing device for simulating twilight in a childs nursery, the combination comprising, an enclosure having substantially nonreflective interior surfaces, an electric light source mounted within said enclosure and having constant lumen intensity when energized, a transluscent side portion in said enclosure permitting the passage of light therethrough, a nonreflective canopy shutter rotatably mounted within said enclosure and partially surrounding said light source, means for setting said shutter at preselected positions so as to provide different sized light openings, said canopy having substantially nonrefiective interior and exterior surfaces, timed driving means mounted on said enclosure and having an arbor extending within said enclosure and operatively connected to said canopy shutter for rotation thereof, said timed driving means adapted to rotate said shutter at a constant speed for a preselected period of time so as to gradually interpose said shutter between said light source and said translucent portion of said enclosure thereby gradually diminishing the light emanating from said enclosure, switch means electrically connected to said light source and operatively connected to said timed driving means and adapted to be opened by said timed driving means to de-energize said light source, and a control knob mounted on the ex terior of said enclosure and adapted to operate said switch means, set said timed driving means and rotatably move said canopy shutter to a preselected open position.

2. In an illumination diminishing device for simulating twilight in a childs nursery, the combination comprising, an enclousure having opposite first and second ends, said enclosure having substantially nonreflective interior surfaces, an electric light source disposed centrally within said enclosure and mounted to said first end of said enclosure, said electric light source having constant lumen intensity when energized, a translucent side portion in said enclosure permitting the passage of light therethrough, a nonreflective canopy shutter disposed within said enclosure and rotatably cantilever-mounted to said second end of said enclosure, said canopy partially surrounding said light source and being spaced therefrom for rotation therearound, said canopy having substantially nonrefiective interior and exterior surfaces, means for setting said shutter at preselected positions so as to provide different sized light openings, timed driving means mounted on said second end of said enclosure and having an arbor extending within said enclosure and operatively connected to said canopy shutter for rotation thereof about said light source, said timed driving means adapted to rotate said shutter at a constant speed for a preselected period of time so as to gradually interpose said shutter between said i ht source and said translucent portion of said enclosure thereby gradually diminishing the light emanating from said enclosure, switch means electrically connected to said light source and operatively connected to said timed driving means and adapted to be opened by said timed driving means to de-energize said light source, and a control knob mounted on the exterior of said enclosure and adapted to operate said switch means, set said timed driving means and rotatably move said canopy shutter to a preselected open position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 141,010 Mitchell July 22, 1873 1,311,951 Crawford Aug. 5, 1919 1,803,119 Lucas Apr. 28, 1931 2,310,900 Mayer Feb. 9, 1943 2,324,384 Grimes July 13, 1943 2,349,355 Kepler May 23, 1944 2,368,804 Chatelain Feb. 6, 1945 2,813,161 Tuttle Nov. 12, 1957 2,875,321 Dolivia Feb. 24, 1959 

1. IN AN ILLUMINATION DIMINISHING DEVICE FOR SIMULATING TWILIGHT IN A CHILD''S NURSERY, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING, AN ENCLOSURE HAVING SUBSTANTIALLY NONREFLECTIVE INTERIOR SURFACES, AN ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCE MOUNTED WITHIN SAID ENCLOSURE AND HAVING CONSTANT LUMEN INTENSITY WHEN ENERGIZED, A TRANSLUCENT SIDE PORTION IN SAID ENCLOSURE PERMITTING THE PASSAGE OF LIGHT THERETHROUGH, A NONREFLECTIVE CANOPY SHUTTER ROTATABLY MOUNTED WITHIN SAID ENCLOSURE AND PARTIALLY SURROUNDING SAID LIGHT SOURCE, MEANS FOR SETTING SAID SHUTTER AT PRESELECTED POSITIONS SO AS TO PROVIDE DIFFERENT SIZED LIGHT OPENINGS, SAID CANOPY HAVING SUBSTANTIALLY NONREFLECTIVE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR SURFACES, TIMED DRIVING MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID ENCLOSURE AND HAVING AN ARBOR EXTENDING WITHIN SAID ENCLOSURE AND OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID CANOPY SHUTTER FOR ROTATION THEREOF, SAID TIMED DRIVING MEANS ADAPTED TO ROTATE SAID SHUTTER AT A CONSTANT SPEED FOR A PRESELECTED PERIOD OF TIME SO AS TO GRADUALLY INTERPOSE SAID SHUTTER BETWEEN SAID LIGHT SOURCE AND SAID TRANSLUCENT PORTION OF SAID ENCLOSURE THEREBY GRADUALLY DIMINISHING THE LIGHT EMANATING FROM SAID ENCLOSURE, SWITCH MEANS ELECTRICALLY CONNECTED TO SAID LIGHT SOURCE AND OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID TIMED DRIVING MEANS TO DE-ENERGIZE SAID LIGHT SOURCE, AND A CONTROL KNOB MOUNTED ON THE EXTERIOR OF SAID ENCLOSURE AND ADAPTED TO OPERATE SAID SWITCH MEANS, SET SAID TIMED DRIVING MEANS AND ROTATABLY MOVE SAID CANOPY SHUTTER TO A PRESELECTED OPEN POSITION. 